Louisville football’s defense turns the corner

The University of Louisville’s defensive line has given the Cardinals a dangerous pass rush. The linebackers have been steady tacklers most of the season and their safeties, Calvin Pryor and Hakeem Smith, are regarded as one of the best tandems at their position in the country.

But the cornerbacks, who haven’t earned as much recognition, have also been reliable for a U of L defense that ranks second in the FBS in fewest points and yards allowed.

Louisville, which is off this week and will return to the field at Connecticut next Friday, is fourth nationally in pass defense, surrendering just 164 yards per game, and tied for third in touchdown passes allowed (six).

“Those guys are headed in the right direction,” defensive coordinator Vance Bedford said. “… If they remain healthy and keep going in the right direction, they’ll be OK.”

Cornerback Charles Gaines, who converted from wide receiver this season and has started the last six games for U of L (7-1, 3-1 American Athletic Conference), returned an interception 70 yards for a touchdown in the Cards’ 34-3 win at South Florida last Saturday and is doing a “tremendous job” in his first year at the position, according to Bedford.

Terell Floyd, whose interception return for a TD on the first play of last season’s Sugar Bowl set the tone for the Cards’ big victory over Florida, has been a steady starter all season and is fifth on the team in tackles (27).

Gaines and Floyd have four — two each — of U of L’s 10 interceptions, one short of the Cards’ total for all of last season and tied for 22nd-most nationally.

Jermaine Reve, who also can play safety, began the year as a starting corner opposite Floyd but has been replaced by Gaines on the first unit. Still, he has played in every game and has made 10 tackles. Andrew Johnson has played in every game, too, with one start, and has seven tackles.

“We all just motivate each other,” Reve said. “Every day on the practice field we challenge each other to be great. We make our own personal bets in practice, so when it comes to the games, we already have challenged ourselves against some of the best receivers that we have in the nation.”

Gaines’ late pick-six against the Bulls was a highlight of a dominant defensive effort by U of L that included only 95 passing yards. It was the best defensive play of the year from Gaines, a speedster who was suspended for the second half of last season.

When Gaines jumped on the route and caught the ball, Bedford said, “I thought, ‘It’s over with.’ He got invisible real fast. He had an extra gear like, ‘Wow.’ ”

Bedford still wants the cornerbacks to tackle better, and he wants even more ball-hawking on passes thrown their way.

“When the ball is in the air, I want them to have the attitude that the ball is our ball,” he said. “Gaines has that attitude. Calvin Pryor feels that way ... I want more guys to feel that way: ‘That ball is mine. You have it, I’m going to get it and take it home.’ When we get that mind-set, I’ll be ready to say I’m excited.”

USF’s quarterbacks completed 8 of 19 passes and no receiver caught more than one pass. Only one reception went more than 20 yards (25).

U of L has allowed only 48 passing plays of 10 or more yards — fourth-best in the FBS — out of 208 total passes by its opponents.

The Cards’ high-powered offense, in comparison, has 115 completions of 10 or more yards.

The Cards have surrendered six passes of 30 or more yards — one of only 11 teams to have allowed so few — and are among just 12 teams to have allowed no more than two 40-yarders.

The biggest passing play against U of L this season was a 58-yard reception by Temple wide receiver Ryan Anderson, but the Owls failed to score on that possession.

“That (lack of big plays allowed) has been a good thing,” Bedford said. “Hopefully we keep that going. We’ve got some teams coming up that are going to stretch us to the limit, and we’ll find out. Right now we are excited as a defensive staff where we are. You look at the last two years, we had plays of 50, 60 yards, several of them.”

Defensive end Lorenzo Mauldin, who has 6½ of the team’s 27 sacks, said the front four has benefited from the secondary’s pass coverage.

“Our secondary has been tremendous for us D-linemen,” he said. “If you have been watching the games, we’ve been getting some coverage sacks. I’d say they’re the core of the defense. We’re the main attraction of the defense, but the core of the defense is what helps us to get to the quarterback.”